THE LABORERS' LOT.

NZ Truth, Issue 159, 4 July 1908, Page 6

THE LABORERS' LOT.

Grain-clcasiers asid Dust. The manual laborer has to ?>ut up with conditions that shorten the life of the average man. The v grain-cleaning machines m the. big stores of Christchurch (and every other 'City for .that matter) revolve m a cloud of dust, which settles on the lungs of the manipulators and penetrates the whole system like lead-poison-, ing m the Westralian mines. The General Laborers' Union, which numbers about 500 m Christchurcii and has about 150 members Avorking m the grain stores of the 'City, has applied ,to the Arbitration Court for an increased screw for the men engaged m a deadly occupation, and the application is opposed with vindictive agitation by Fat, who is fearful lest his large income should be diminished m any way. One of the monopolists' representatives asked a witness why it was that prominent footballers and crack shots were produced from THE DUST-LADEN ATMOSPHERE, if the choking sediment was injurious. Several names were^ mentioned, but it was shown by witnesses that the athletic persons and marksmen quoted had not worked the machines at all or had been at them such a short time as to sustain no lasting damage. The witness ■--acknowledged • that dust m the streets of Christchurch was sometimes as bad as m- the warehouse, but the street dust was unpleasant and undesirable and unhealthy, and nobody voluntarily went into a dust storm m the street -to enjoy himself. The attempt to show the Court that the dust from cocksfoot was beneficial and musclefeeding filled one individual m the witnessbox'with laughter, which was abruptly - checked by an attempt to cough up some dust absorbed durihg the past twentyfour hours. Fat should be condemned to work his- own machines.